Mumbai: There was mixed news on Wednesday for the 200 Indian students stranded in the UK after their College went bankrupt and shut down. The hospitality students, 76 of whom are from Mumbai have been declared 'failed' in their worksheet distributed to them on Monday. But the good news is that a UK college, funded by Indian hoteliers, has offered to admit them for free.
The students from IHMES International Hotel School in Isle of Man have been asked by the UK immigration office to leave the country in 28 days.
"My son called me. He was very upset and was crying that he had been declared failed. He doesn't know what to do," said an anxious parent. The boy also told TOI from Isle of Man that his first submissions were referred back by his tutor. "I had changed it according to her specifications and she had accepted the assignment. I think the changed version was not forwarded and that's why I have been marked failed."
Another student said that he managed to pass but there were many others who have been declared failed. "I think it's to do with the administration's computer settings. Since we have not been able to complete all the modules because of the closure, they have marked us failed in the mark sheet. ".
Meanwhile, an Indian dean of a hospitality college in London has come to the rescue of the students, each of whom had paid GBP 8.400 (Rs 7.14 lakh) to IHMES. There are poor chances of getting a refund of the fees because the college closed down citing bankruptcy. But Harrow International Business School, a faculty of Harrow International Business School, which is a charitable educational Institute in the UK, has offered all the students a place in their higher diploma course in London. Dilip Amdekar, who hails from Mumbai, said the institution wouldn't charge a new fee considering the plight of the students. However; a nominal fee of GBP 500 would be charged to cover the administrative costs.
The, college is accredited and registered with the Department for Education and Skills (DFES). Overseas students are granted visa only if they are studying in a registered college. Incidentally, IHMES was also accredited and is still listed on the DFES website.
The college authorities made a trip to the Isle of Man to offer Indian students admission. But parents already shocked by the sudden closure of IHMES College were wary of the offer. "We have come to know that Khalsa College will charge GPB 500 but we suspect that there will be lot of hidden costs once the course starts. We don't want our children to have another bad experience after what they have gone through," one of them said.
However Amdekar clarified that his college has made the offer adhering to its role as a charitable institution, which is funded by top Sikh hoteliers in UK.
The Times of India, Mumbai
Thursday, May 3rd ,2007.
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